Single Older Woman – Canadian Vacations – Travel Starts and Stops, Trains

Wed July 27, 2022

As I wrapped up this portion of my whirlwind East Coast vacation, I was very excited about the River Cruise I would embark on tomorrow. I’d never been on a river boat cruise before and with the goal of doing one in Europe in 2023, I figured I could get my sea legs on one in Canada that would also stay close to the shore.

My suitcases were packed, water bottles filled, hotel bill paid and taxi booked for transport to the Via Rail Station in Truro. I packed my casual hat and donned my pretty train/boat travel hat, which I bought recently and specifically for the boat cruise.

In my eagerness to “get going”, I got to the station at about 11:30 am and planned to sit and relax inside until my train departure at 1430 that afternoon. Well upon arrival at the station, the doors were locked and the lights were off. This station would not open until 13:00.

There I sat outside, with my suitcase, carry on, and my little lunch bag. Nowhere to sit and no Tim Horton’s close by to get a coffee. So I waited and I waited. Finally at about 12:30, a Via Rail employee turned on the lights and opened the doors. Relief and gratitude, as I now also needed to visit the restroom.

This return train trip would bring me to Montreal at 10:00 on Thursday morning. A 2 hour lay over and then I would continue onto Ottawa, with an arrival time of 1400. The marina is a 20 minute cab ride from the station and boarding would commence at 17:00.

At 13:30, we were advised that the train was delayed in Halifax and our scheduled departure time of 1430 was pushed back. The train finally arrived at 1530. I boarded and was taken to my Cabin. My attendant invited me to the dining car, as lunch was still being served. I was so grateful, as I had not eaten since early this morning and needed some sustenance.

I returned to my cabin to relax and freshen up a bit and then made my way to the lounge car, to meet the other passengers.

I opted for the 2nd sitting of dinner and made my way back to the dining car at 2100 for my evening meal. The quality of these on board meals are top notch and is one of the reasons I choose to travel in the Sleeper Car Class. I enjoyed a Merlot with this meal and then made my way back to my cabin. My bed had been turned down and a fresh bottle of water had been left for me too.

By Thursday mid morning, it became apparent that the train would be delayed in its arrival to Montreal. Now I started to panic. All my planning and researching were for naught. Via Rail has a heat protocol in place which dictates how fast they can travel, on steel rails for a continuous stretch of travel time, when the air temperature rises above a certain degree.

All I could do now was wait and tick off each city station as we arrived and departed. I did not have a contingency plan in place. I either made it to the marina before departure or I did not. With little else to do but read and watch the landscape from my cabin, I made the first of many calls to the office of St. Lawrence River Cruise lines. The kind and pleasant administrator connected me with the owner, who immediately reassured me that the boat would wait for me, regardless of what time I arrived at the marina. He gave me the cell # for Trevor, the Purser, so that I could keep him abreast with any updates.

Finally we arrived in Montreal, I missed my noon connection to Ottawa and sat in the business lounge until the next train departure. I cancelled my Economy Fare ticket and was provided a Business Class seat at no extra charge.

After a quick snack of peanuts and wine, I took advantage of the complementary meal served in Business class. Even though I would still get another meal on the boat later in the evening…..

I arrived at the marina just after 630 pm. I was Covid tested and then brought to my stateroom. I was here! The staff were all so courteous and kind and I was grateful to be onboard.

It turns out the boat had to wait for a few other passengers who were also delayed. One couple traveled from South Africa! and had missed their flight connection! They finally arrived on board and we started our cruise.

Suffice it to say, I had quite a few starts and stops on this trip:

  • The fear that Via Rail employees would be on strike,
  • the first train delay to Truro, due to heat,
  • the cancellation of my return Ferry trip from PEI to Nova Scotia, due to the engine fire onboard,
  • the subsequent journey to the Confederation Bridge, in order to get back to Nova Scotia,
  • then this train delay.
  • These delays were minor inconveniences yet I still got to my destination safely and was able to enjoy this whirlwind vacation.

I cannot imagine what all of those other travelers (internationally, domestic, transborder) had to endure during this same period. in both Canada and abroad – with flight cancellations and delays, with lost luggage etc. I can only hope that when I plan my European River Cruise from the Netherlands to Basel, Switzerland, all will go well and I will be safe.

Thank you for reading and letting me share.

Stay tuned!

Joye

Single Older Woman – Canadian Vacations – Victoria Park, NS – Outings # 16

July 26, 2022

Today was my final full day in Truro and I would play the local tourist.

I was blessed with another bright sunny warm day – the perfect temps for a stroll through the city’s renowned Victoria Park.

I packed up the car with a small cooler, filled with fruit, water, sandwiches and snacks and made my way to the Park.

The park boasted quite a few interesting tree shapes and hills and a very high set of stairs known as “Jacob’s Ladder”. I did not attempt to make the trek up this staircase….sorry. .No park walk would be complete, at least for me, without some sort of visit to a waterfall or a pond or pool. This locale did not disappoint.

I made my way to the picnic area and enjoyed a lunch outside near the creeks.

After my lunch and water break, I exited the park grounds and headed to a local cafe for a quick afternoon snack, a raspberry and orange danish and a Chai Latte.

It’s now late afternoon and I’ve arrived at the local Enterprise Car Rental office to return my vehicle. Drop off inspection complete and the staff have driven me back to the hotel.

The evening was spent packing and making sure the remainder of fruit, snacks, sandwiches and etc will be consumed. There won’t be any space in my luggage to bring this stuff on the train tomorrow. Obviously I don’t have a cooler with me either.

Tomorrow I board the Via Rail train for the trip back to Ontario. I’ll be disembarking in Ottawa for the last adventure of this wonderful trip – a 6 night cruise along the St. Lawrence River aboard the Canadian Empress.

Thank you for reading and letting me share.

Joye

Single Older Woman -Canadian Beaches- Martinique Beach, NS – Beach #7-Accomplished

July 2022

Today I’ll swim at Martinique Beach, Nova Scotia, on the Atlantic Ocean.

It’s another beautiful warm day with blue skies and sunshine.

After breakfast, I made my way to the Fundy Discovery Centre, where I hoped to witness the tidal bore. The Bay of Fundy is home to the highest tides on Earth and is classified as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of North America. This viewing area is 10 minutes from my hotel in Truro.

Fundy Discovery Centre

On our trip to New Brunswick in 2018, my BFF and I did walk along the beach of Hopewell Rocks and this trip allowed me to be at the other end of the Tidal Bore.

I returned to my hotel, collected my beach things, picked up a coffee at Tim’s and made my way to Martinique Beach, about an hour’s drive from Truro.

The temperature in Truro was 30 degrees celsius, a perfect air temperature for swimming in the ocean. Imagine my surprise and dismay, as I drove south on the beach road, that the temperature gauge on the dashboard, slowly dropped in temperature. Within the 15 minute drive, from highway to the beach, the skies clouded over, it got cooler and now it was only 18 degrees……Not such a nice temperature for swimming in the Atlantic Ocean! Plus it was now drizzly, cool, windy and very cloudy…….

I always research what the water temperature is or has been for any of the bodies of water I plan to swim in/at. This was no exception. Considering the temperature may only be around 17-19 degrees, I looked into renting a wet suit, just in case the water was too cold. This beach offered a couple of places where I could rent one – for 15 minutes……

Upon arrival at the beach, I was further dismayed – no places to get changed into my swim suit, no other beach goers and no other swimmers in the water, plus the water is choppy and the waves are crashing onto the beach.

As I stood there on the sand, I realized I would not be able to conquer my dream of swimming at Martinique Beach. It simply would not be safe. So, I walked the beach in my bare feet, picked up some pretty stones and rocks and took a few photos.

I realized too that even though I would not swim in the water, I was on the beach and I had planned an entire vacation around travelling to the beach, in Nova Scotia and that is still an accomplishment for a “Single Older Woman, in her fifties”.

I made my way back to Truro and stopped in at a local restaurant for dinner – salad, Pizza, dessert. Pizza with Nova Scotia authentic donair sauce – very yummy… I waited until I returned to the hotel to enjoy my choc cheesecake with a glass of a local PEI wine, Gamay- Noir.

Tomorrow is my last full day in Nova Scotia. Stay tuned for local park adventures.

Thank you for reading and letting me share.

Joye

Single Older Woman – Canadian Vacations- Viola Desmond and Cape Breton Island, Outings #15

July 2023

Today I would travel to New Glasgow and then on to Cape Breton Island.

My initial plan was to take a detour to New Glasgow, before returning to Truro, after the Ferry trip on the Friday. Alas, I spent the day driving, after the Ferry Fire.

New Glasgow is where Viola Desmond made that fateful choice in 1946, to sit in the white section of the movie theatre #Roselandtheatre and was subsequently arrested and spent a night in jail. I learned about her story, when I visited the Museum for Canadian Human Rights in Winnipeg, MB. Part of this vacation would include a trip to this part of Nova Scotia to see where it all began. For me, it was about coming full circle. The theatre is now a landmark site and the street was renamed to Viola’s Way, in her honour.

Footnote: in August 2022, a plaque was erected 2 blocks from this Site, in honour of Ms Desmond. This plaque was done on behalf of Parks Canada and the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.

I stopped for a quick snack and water break, then made my way back to the highway for my hours long drive to Cape Breton Island.

By the time I made it to Island, it was already mid afternoon. To say that I did not plan this trip out so well, is an understatement…..So with only a couple of hours to explore, I decided I would only make it one of the places on my list – the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site, in Baddeck #ParksCanada.

It was near closing time for the day, the staff in the Museum were kind enough to grant me free admission. I wandered the displays and galleries and then headed outside, where I could at least stroll the gardens and the lands.

On the Parks Canada website, visitors to their National Parks and Historic Sites are invited to sit on the big red Muskoka chairs and share their photos online.

So I did!

I made my out of the park and headed off the Island, for the return trip to Truro.

Tomorrow, I shall conquer one more beach from my list – Martinque Beach, NS.

Stay tuned.

Thank you for reading and for letting me share.

Joye

Single Older Woman – Canadian Vacations – In the saddle: Part 2

July 2022

I mentioned in a previous post, about the strain to my right MCL in September 2021. This injury and the subsequent diminished strength of the joint will play into my adventure at Spirit Reins Ranch in Parrsboro.

I knew that if I wanted to get back into the saddle, at least once, while away, I had to do all the exercises, the stretches, the swimming etc to strengthen my knee before my marathon 2.5 week vacation. On the advice of my chiropractor, also a horse enthusiast, she suggested I spend time sitting on a stability ball, as the positioning of my legs would mimic that of sitting in a saddle for an hour. Great advice! which I heeded.

I found the ranch online, figured I could make it a day trip to Parrsboro, visit some lighthouses and have lunch locally. My suitcase was packed with a pair of long pants, and I had the perfect set of boots with a good solid 2 inch heel that would hold in the stirrups quite nicely and they were high enough that they came up to my knee.

The day beamed bright, sunny and blue skies all around. I arrived in Parrsboro early afternoon, had lunch and visited the Fundy Geological Museum.

At 3:30, I made the 5 minute drive to the ranch. I met the owner and she introduced me to Chester. Karen led Chester into the corral, I made my way to the stoop, mounted it and attempted to throw my right leg up and over Chester’s wide girth. I froze…….I couldn’t do it…….Karen stood there for a minute or two and gave me time to sort it out…..I couldn’t summon the strength to lift my leg that high, without worrying I would fall off the stoop and land in the grass. So, I asked if we could move the stoop to the other side, so that I could mount Chester with my left leg…..Success. My right leg was strong enough to support my weight to lift my left leg but not the other way around…

Off we went, Karen and her horse, the junior guide and hers and me, on gentle gentle Chester. Flat terrain, asphalt roads and open fields, lots of grass, that Chester was determined to chomp his way through. Karen asked if I’d like to extend the hour’s trail to 2 hours – no thank you. I could already feel the ache in my knee.

We returned to the corral at the end of our ride. Now to dismount……mmmmm.. just as much a concern, as the mount…..Karen was not strong enough to support me to help me off Chester. Now what……

Miracles of miracles – Chester seemed to sense my anxiety and very quietly, walked out of the corral and towards the barn, where there was a post used for looping the reins over. He knew…..He knew. Using the post as support, I was able to dismount, but not before Karen took a few pics for me.

Chester – Spirit Reins Ranch, Parrsboro, NS

Almost 40 years after my first trail ride, I think this was my last. I’m glad I got to have one more ride while enjoying the beauty of our other provinces. I’ll be storing those long black boots away.

I thanked Karen, paid my bill and made me way off the ranch. I did it!

Thank you for reading and for letting me share.

Joye

Single Older Woman – Canadian Vacations – In the saddle – maybe: Part 1

July 2022

I’ve always had a fascination with horses, from a distance, and only from the standpoint of going on trail rides.

Two of my friends were horse owners and authentic equestrians in our early years. Some of my earliest memories being on vacation near Wasaga Beach was the trail rides at a local ranch near the cottage.

I’d never had any formal riding experience, but had enough courage and gumption to get into the saddle and go for a trot or a quick canter. During one such ride, I found myself hanging on for dear life, as the trail was only “one way” and another group of riders were coming toward us. So my horse, Ginger, nonchalantly made her way up on the side of the embankment, so I was literally riding “side saddle”…..

Many years later, I took my kids to a small family beach/ campground near Bracebridge, called “High Falls”. They boasted on their ad, trail rides in the water on one of their 2 Belgian work horses. These beasts were massive, standing over 16 hands high.

Belgian Work Horse – High Falls Bracebridge, Ontario

So I paid my $15 and was led to the horse. I would ride this beast, without a saddle or reins, with only his long mane to hold onto…Once in the water, it got deeper and deeper and we went lower and lower, until my chest almost crested the depth of the lake……this lake too did not boast of soft sandy lake bottoms, it was covered by rocks, stones, twigs, branches etc. Pair that with horse hooves, not a smooth ride, by any stretch of the imagination….

It was an exhilarating experience but I think next time, I’ll stay on land.

As my first beach vacation approached in July 2017, I decided it would be nice to get back in the saddle again, and visit a horse ranch in the other provinces.

First up – Miracle Ranch in Springfield, Manitoba. I booked the trail ride and marked the location on my map. Well, I got lost on the highway, did not have a phone with GPS or a map and ended up calling them to cancel the ride. I was so upset and disappointed. Ok – another province, next time.

Next up – Alberta,2019. Riverwood Ranch. The night before my scheduled ride, the owner called to say that their ranch had been flooded by the heavy rains that week and the trail was washed out….So instead of a walk through nature, on the back of a horse, I spent the afternoon inside West Edmonton Mall, followed by a swim at a local community centre pool. Not all was lost.

Stay tuned. In part 2, I will regale you with my adventure in Nova Scotia at Spirit Reins Ranch in Parrsboro.

Thank you for reading and for letting me share.

Joye

Single Older Woman – Canadian Vacations – Wood Islands Ferry -Travel Day

July 22,2022

Today is travel day back to Nova Scotia, courtesy of the Northumberland Ferries.

I packed up the car and bid adieu to the owners of Lighthouse Beach and Motel and made my way back along the Eastern Coastal drive to Wood Islands Ferry Terminal. Another glorious, sunny warm day – hopefully I’ll have a nicer view for the crossing today.

I was booked on the 11:30 ferry crossing and arrived in Wood Islands at 10:00. With an hour to spare, I made my way to the local Lighthouse and stopped in to the tourist boutique and chatted with the ladies there.

I made my way to the Ferry boarding queue, secured the vehicle and mulled around the parking lot with the hundreds of other passengers to await our Ferry.

As we all watched our Ferry approach the dock, there was a commotion at the ramps. Something was wrong…..I smelled smoke, before I saw smoke, then as the Ferry got closer, we all gasped – the Ferry was on fire!! Dark smoke was billowing out from the top deck of the vessel and it did not abate. All of us watched in horror, as the vessel had to retreat back into the open waters.

Ferry terminal staff were busy shouting orders, screaming into their walkie talkies and trying to instruct the throngs of passengers to go back to your vehicles. At this point, the vessel had moved alongside a small “island of sorts” and dropped anchor, but not before we all observed the orange evacuation ladders being tossed out of the boat….. I stood there transfixed……now what? how long will this take? what sort of delay will there be? How long will it take to evacuate everyone? Is there another ferry coming instead?

After a few minutes, the terminal staff confirmed that our ferry would not be sailing today and everyone would have to make alternate arrangements to get to where they had to go. This took me a minute to process – I would have to drive to Charlottetown and make the trip across the Confederation Bridge, to get back to Truro.

Once I left the parking lot, I checked in with my sister, let her know what was happening, as surely, this would make it on the news, back in Ontario.I started my drive to Charlottetown. Fortunately, my bff Stacey and I drove across the bridge in 2018, so I knew what to expect. Now though, I would traverse it on my own.

The eerie reality of this experience hit me, as I drove the route back.

Think about it – how many times, whilst you drive around your community, do you see/hear an ambulance, a fire truck, a police car, etc. You don’t really pay attention to what tragedy has befallen some family….. But I knew – pick up truck, volunteer ambulance, cars with boats attached were all making their way to the Ferry Terminal to assist the police and fireman, etc, with the injured, the scared, the seniors, the children that needed to be taken off that stricken vessel. Those images are forever ingrained in my memories. As I neared the bridge entrance, a few friends texted to check in – was I on that boat? Well no, I would have been on that boat for the return to Caribou.

I paid the bridge toll and drove across for the 12 minute trip. Blue skies, sun and the glistening water, as I made my way into New Brunswick. I stopped into the Tourist Info Ctr once in Nova Scotia to stretch my legs and grab some water.

I arrived at my hotel just after 5:30 pm and took stock of the many food items that perished in the car – the juice, the yogurt, the choc milk, the strawberries.

The cooler I had was sufficient to keep things cold for an hour or so, but the stuff had now been in the car for almost 8 hours. To dispose of them was of no consequence, all things considered.

Footnote – I would learn later that the Ferry Service between the two provinces did not become operational again for 2 weeks. All those passengers lost luggage and some even lost their vehicles…..I can’t imagine what I would have had to do, if I was in that situation – driving a rental car and being so far away from home. I said many prayers of thanks that evening and felt very grateful that I was okay. Three weeks later, I also received an email from Northumberland Ferries saying I would be getting a full refund for the trip – for the trip from NS to PEI and then the cancelled trip. A nice gesture on their part.

Thank for reading and for letting me share.

Joye

Single Older Woman -Canadian vacations, Souris, PEI- Outings #14

July 21, 2022

Today is my last day in Souris and I will spend my day hanging around the beach, the waterfront and the boardwalk.

The skies are blue and clear once again – the temperature a very balmy 30 degrees celcius.

Lighthouse Beach and Motel view looking out to Sheep Pond Beach on the Northumberland Strait

After breakfast, I headed to our local grocer and picked up some fruit, yogurt, sandwiches and snacks to take back with me to Truro, tomorrow.

I headed to the beach for a quick swim and returned to the motel to change out of my swimsuit.

It was a 5 minute drive to the boardwalk and as i strolled along the waterfront, I came upon an ice cream shop. The perfect treat for my last day here! Almond, toffee vanilla in a waffle cone 2 scoops! I had to devour this treat quickly before I would end up wearing it. HOT, HOT, HOT…

After devouring this decadent cool cool treat, I now had to wash all the stickiness off my hands. In search of a restroom, I found one next to a local gift shop…..well now, I’ve never seen a nicer washroom – it defied all our preconceived notions of a public facility. With that being said, of course I had to take some pics to show my dad…

A work of art – look how nice!!!

As I enjoyed the boardwalk running along the beach/waterfront, I found some info boards about Souris, their Lighthouses and the Railway.

I completed my afternoon stroll and made my way back to the motel. Time to pack, tidy up, have some dinner and a glass of wine. An easy meal of sandwiches, caesar salad and dessert, polished off with a glass of locally made red wine while I enjoyed the stillness and tranquility of the outdoors and my surroundings.

Tomorrow, I drive back to Wood Islands for the return ferry trip to Caribou, NS.

Thank you for reading and for letting me share.

Joye

Single Older Woman – East Coast, Parks Canada, Outings #13

July 2022

Having discovered from my Parks Canada brochure, that PEI was home to several National Parks, I decided to visit a few of them today. I am blessed with yet another glorious warm, blue sky kinda day, with a slight breeze in the air.

I had lunch booked at #DalvaybytheSea, a National Historic Site. This was a private residence belonging to the MacDonald family and dates back to the late 1890’s

While I sat by a window to enjoy the sunshine and calm waters of the pond, I was impressed by the quality of the wooden beams and stone work surrounding me in the restaurant. I knew I had to take a few pics, if only to show my dad, who would thoroughly enjoy the handiwork and craftsmanship.

After lunch, I took a stroll along the grounds and made my way back to the car, to continue my days long exploration of this part of PEI.

I eventually made my way to PEI National Park, Greenwich Park and walked along a few of the pathways adjacent to St. Peter’s Bay.

The last leg of today’s adventures would take me to the East Point Lighthouse, at the most eastern point of PEI. But first, a quick pit stop, some fruit and nuts to fuel and then on my way.

The drive took about an hour, easy travelling, along 16 east, with the Gulf of St. Lawrence in view on my side of the car. With map in hand, I discovered that at this point, the Gulf of St. Lawrence flows into the Northumberland Strait, which then flows into the Atlantic ocean – a geography lesson for me.

I made my way back to Souris, visited their local lighthouse and went in search of some dinner.

I was able to visit 2 more National Parks and a few more lighthouses. Another glorious day with new memories and adventures to look back on.

Thank you for reading and letting me share.

Stay tuned.

Joye

Single Older Woman – East Coast Vacation – July 2022 – Day 2

July 19, 2022

Today is driving/ ferry day from Truro to Souris, PEI.

After a protein rich complementary breakfast at the hotel, I grabbed my luggage and purse and waited outside for the rental car shuttle driver. My car for this vacation would be a 2022 white Kia Forte ( automatic transmission).

While driving en route to the Ferry terminal in Caribou, I drove past New Glasgow. This is the community where Viola Desmond resided and where her story of racial injustice took place – more on this in a later post. The ferry will be my return transport on Friday July 22 when I make my way back to NS from PEI.

The day was cool and cloudy which would not afford me stunning views of the sailing across the Northumberland Strait. Nonetheless, just the experience of being on this MASSIVE Ferry would suffice.

I was parked only 5 cars behind the front of the line to board the Ferry. There were at least 12 rows with a capacity of maybe 50 vehicles per row. I was astounded as I looked around and behind me to see the volume of vehicles waiting to board – cars, trucks, coach buses, campers, trailers and transport trucks! Amazing!!!

Once boarded, I made my way to the lounge and settled in with a coffee and a hot dog for the 90 minute trip across the Strait.

As you can see from the map, my time in PEI would be dedicated to the Eastern portion of the island – affectionately known as “Points East Coastal Drive”.

Approximately an hour in to my drive towards my motel in Souris, I stopped in to St. Peter’s Bay, for a stretch and a quick coffee and mid day snack. The day was warm, about 27 degrees with a coastal breeze in the air.

By late afternoon, I had arrived at the motel – Lighthouse Beach and Motel, in Souris.

This motel does not offer a pool, but Sheep Pond Beach is 5 minutes away. I’ll definitely go for a swim tomorrow or Thursday.

Thank you for reading and for letting me share. Tomorrow, lunch at “Dalvay by the Sea”.

Joye